About

Trevor G. Samaha, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Public Law at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Prior to my appointment at UTC, I earned my Ph.D. at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV with subfields of American Politics and Public Policy. I was previously an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Glenville State University. Prior to entering academia, I served in the United States Navy. I earned my Master of Arts in Political Science from West Virginia University, my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Cal Poly Pomona (Magna Cum Laude), and my Associate of Arts in Political Science from Fullerton College (High honors).

My research, specifically my dissertation, explores the impact of political party control on health outcomes in U.S. states. My central hypothesis posits that the political party in control of a state’s government significantly influences its health outcomes, both through general governance and the implementation or omission of specific health-related policies. I focus on three key health indicators at the state level: infant mortality, Type II Diabetes, and COVID-19. I plan to continue to study the relationship between political party control and health outcomes in the U.S. states. In addition to my dissertation research, other areas that I am interested in for future research stem from my interest in judicial politics. Specifically, I am interested in the influence of political polarization on federal judicial appointments. I plan to expand this research to include federal bureaucratic appointments. I am broadly interested in research on American political institutions as well as research on gun violence and gun control.

My objective as a professor is to use my passion for teaching to motivate students to develop a passion for learning. My experience teaching at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, West Virginia University, and Glenville State University has made me aware of the need for classrooms to be equitable and inclusive. Some ways I accomplish this is by having clear, open communication with my students, and by providing a supportive and caring environment. I also believe in teaching in a way that reaches all students regardless of their background or future goals. I encourage students to make connections between political science and other disciplines. I have experience teaching Research Methods, Judicial Processes, American National Government, Law and the Legal System, Civil Liberties, Empirical Political Analysis, and Intro to Public Administration as the instructor of record, as well as assisting with multiple other courses.

In addition to my teaching experience, I also have extensive experience advising and mentoring undergraduate students, including honors students. I am currently the pre-law advisor for political science students at UTC. During my time at WVU, I advised over 200 students, including over 50 honors students. I served as a political science advisor for New Student Orientation from 2020 to 2025. In this role, I advised incoming freshmen students who had declared political science as their major. Additionally, I served as an advisor for political science majors during the Fall and Spring semesters of their first year. As an advisor, I monitor my advisees’ academic progress and assist them with scheduling courses for the following semester. I frequently have former advisees and students come to me for informal advising due to my reputation as a good advisor. In 2024, I was nominated for the Nicholas Evans Excellence in Advising Award at WVU (I was ineligible to win the award as a graduate student). I have also served as the faculty mentor for 14 political science students completing their Senior Capstone Project and one student completing her WVU Experiential Learning for Honors (a year-long research project).